Post Delivery Bounce Back

I was very thin pre-preg. (underweight officially) but healthy. I gained over 50 lbs. while preg. I didnt think I would ever be that thin again (and that was ok, my guy is totally worth it) Amazingly I am back to the same relative weight, but it did take about 5 mo. Dont sweat it girl...and dont listen to people that say it happens fast it'll only get you down. It is rare that people "bounce back" unless they are teens (its sick really :)

My baby will be 3 in January. I am the same WEIGHT I was before I got pregnant with him, but I am still a pant size bigger.

Be patient with your body! After my first c-section, it took about 3 months for me to get back into my regular old clothes...actually, by then I was smaller than before I was pregnant! :-)

I didn't have a c-section with either one of my kids. With my son it took me a good year to get back to what I call my "normal" weight. And I worked out hard for 2-3 mos to get the initial weight off. With my daughter who I just had in April, I'm back to my pre-prego. size, weight I don't have a clue haven't weighed my self since my post partum checkup. But my clothes size has gone down pretty quickly. My clothes definitely don't fit the same.
I gained 75-80lbs with both of my kids, so losing any of that was a blessing. Give it some time it will come off. Like someone else said you just had surgery 6 weeks ago and it took you 9 long months to put the weight on give it at least 9 mos. to get it off.

I had a normal, vaginal delivery, and it took me a couple months to get back into pre-pregnancy jeans. And after 15+ months, I'm still working on loosing the last bit of pregnancy weight. Everyone's body is different. Some people's bodies don't bounce back as quickly. I had a friend who grew during her 9 months about as much as I grew in my first 5 months. She delivered a 5 lb baby girl and was wearing normal clothes by the time I saw her a couple weeks later. I however, grow to be the size of (what seems to me to be) a small elephant. My babies have both been 8+ lbs. I only gain 25 lbs or so, but I get huge. Just do your best, exercise, eat healthy and put a belt around your hips and tighten it to get your hips back to their original size.(Although that has to happen while your hips are still "soft" or whatever - while they are still transitioning. I don't know how long that lasts)

omg! it's only been 6 weeks, please some of my old clothes still dont fit the same! give yourself time! everyone is different!

Just remember that it took you almost 10 months to get to where you are at and it could take a year for your body to get totally back to normal. If it makes you feel better my friend and I got prego around the same time (almost 2 years ago) and she left the hospital in her pre prego clothes and I still can't fit into mine! I didn't even gain a lot of weight.

Your friend is NOT the norm by any means and I wouldn't do any comparisons. You're only 6 weeks post partum. It took you 9 months to gain the weight, so it's only reasonable to expect it to take at least that long to lose the weight. I gained about 60-70 pounds (yeah yeah). I nursed a lot the first year too. I never dieted and was lucky in that I had lost the majority of the weight by 6 months and the rest (and more) by 12 months. I think that's pretty normal actually. Nursing did the trick for me I think. That, and having an early walker. Drink lots of water, eat balanced, healthy meals and it will be off before you know it I'm sure. You don't need the stress right now about worrying about your weight. Your body has been through A LOT physically, hormonally and emotionally. Give yourself the chance to heal first.

I still don't fit in my pre-prego jeans. My hips are different now. Even after losing weight and exercising, I came to the realization my body is shaped different now than before. I used it as an excuse to go buy new clothes! I've just bought a little at a time, because we're on a tight budget.

As said by many posters each person is different and it may take you longer. Six weeks is a short post birth time to think about getting all weight off so don't beat yourself up. Check with your doctor about what exercises you can begin and start slowly as muscles are stretched and you are still sore and tender in the abdomen. I was like your friend and went home in regular clothes (top and bottom) and had a little pooch where the tummy was and breastfed. No one thought I just had a baby 5 days out when we went to a store. Had baby in March, wore a swim suit 2 piece in June. Tried on my favorite sundress (pre prego) and it did not fit the same in the post prego body. A few seams had to be let out. You may get back to your preprego size in time but the shape of your body has changed (hips, breasts, waist, thighs, feet). Just know that you have done something very special - you have given life - and that is a beautiful experience whether it is c-section or vaginal. Enjoy these early months as they will soon disappear into the toddler activity. Rest when you can, eat sensible meals, drink lots of water and other liquids and you will be fine. The other S.

Your friend was incredibly lucky. 6 weeks is no where near enough time for the majority of women to get back to "normal." After my first C-Section, it took me close to a year to totally be back to pre-pregnancy weight. Like someone else said, about 6 months to get most of it off and another 6 months to completely get there. I am now 7 months past my second C-Section and am back in my looser fitting pre-preggo jeans, but am still probably another 10 lbs away from getting into those good old slim fitting ones. I do work out some, but not as much as I should (my boot camp place closed down which messed that up!), and I eat reasonably well but have not dieted per se. Congratulations on your new baby. Don't worry about your body, it will come back with time. Just concentrate on your precious gift!

Hi L.!
I, too, had a C-section - my little boy is 7 weeks old now. I think it will take a bit longer than we like to get our bodies back. I'm a runner, and my stomach shrunk back pretty fast, though it still isn't what it used to be. It's going to take some time for the skin to really get back (or get closer) to where it was and for the muscles to become firm again. What I've discovered, though, is that the reason I can't fit into my pre-pregnancy pants is not because my stomach isn't quite back to normal yet, but that my hips are still more expanded from the pregnancy than before. That and the loosening of joints that happens during pregnancy can take a few months to go back to normal. But don't fret - it will happen. My twin has a 4 year old, and she has looked great for years now. It just takes a few months, instead of a few weeks. I try to take that as my cue to not worry about it too much.
Congratulations on your newborn!
-Christina

Like so many other people have pointed out, you may never regain your pre-pregnancy body. Your ligaments may never tighten back up; if your feet got longer or wider, and not just puffy, chances are they won't shrink, so why expect other parts of your body that also widened (your pelvis) to shrink too? In addition to all this unwanted but necessary spreading, breastfeeding can also slow down weight loss, especially those last 5 pounds or so (and as long as you breastfeed your body will try to hold on to those pounds "just in case").

As soon as your doctor clears you, start walking. And when you get beyond just walking, remember to rebuild your abs from the inside out - work on firming up your core before you start doing crunches (those only work the outer muscles). You can't have a flat belly if you don't have a strong inner core (per my sister - a physical therapist & Pilates instructor). But regardless of what numbers appear on the scale, or what size is on the tag of your jeans, remember that you are the center of the universe to that little baby of yours, and he or she is what really matters most. :)

C-Sections can make it a lot harder to get back into our prepregnancy pants. It seems like my tummy was more swolen for a while after having my C vs. having a vaginal.
I was never able to get as skinny as I was before having kids and you may not ever really fit into your pre pregnancy clothes but you definitely need more time. I had to buy an entire new wardrobe after having my kids. Only a few sizes from what I was before though.
Good luck and give it time....a lot more! : )

Since when is 6 weeks "forever?" You had a major surgery, and it will take time to recover. You will return to your pre-preg weight, but you may not ever return to your pre-preg shape. There is a big difference there. Pregnanacy changes our bodies. A small sacrifice for those precious first 6 weeks you have just had with your newborn! I agree with the 9 months to gain it, 9 months to lose it.

I had a C-section August 23, 2007 and my baby was 9 lbs. It took me about 5-6 months until I fit in my old jeans except they were hard to button. I have noticed that my hips are different now. I can fit into my old jeans now but it took almost a year for my body to get back to pre-prego. Good luck! Don't rush it just enjoy your new little one! Your body will get back just give it time! I know that is easier said then done.

It depends on the person i guess.It has been 14 months and I am still not back in my size nor will I ever be because my hips spread too much.I used to be a size 2 now I am 7 at best.

it will all depend on your age and how fit you were before the baby. congrats by the way!

i'm still trying to get my old body back and my dd just had her 4th birthday :)

My baby is 9 months old and I am at my pre-pregnancy weight, but most of my pants still won't fit/close around my waist. I have been tired with the baby, but I am finally working on it at the gym and I think I will see results soon.

My daughter was born August 21, 2007. I put my pre-preg jeans on for the first time last month and still have 6lbs to go. I was 113 before baby and 164 at delivery. Your friend must have been wearing elastic pants :) ha. I was 142 the day I got home from the hospital and I wore my maternity clothes for at least 2 months afterward some of them even longer!

Hi L.! I wouldn't worry at all about getting your body back so soon! People that went home in their jeans are just the lucky ones! It took me three months of hard core excersising, eating healthy and breastfeeding just to lose the weight I had put on with my son, which was 50 pounds! I needed to lose more than that, and it took another three to four months to lose 20 more pounds! Everyone is different, all you need to do is enjoy your baby!! Cherish every minute because it sure goes by fast!

L.,
I had a c-section (2nd in 18 months) 3.5 months ago, and am just now able to put my pre-2nd baby jeans on, and cannot even button pre-1st baby jeans! I noticed more weight loss between 2.5 to 3.5 months post surgery...it didn't come on in one night, and although I would like to lose it all in one night, I know better! I don't like your friend either...lol...my BFF was the same way, but she didn't have a c-section either, and hardly gained any weight w/her pregnancy! Just think, it took 9 months to look like that, it will surely take at least 9 to get back to the pre-baby body! Just keep working at losing, and if you are breast feeding don't diet, the weight will come off naturally!! Good luck!

You are expecting too much too fast. Your friend was just one of those lucky ones that could. It will come, just don't worry about it, and focus on your new family and on your husband.